Easy life/easier life. What's the difference?

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Katya O.
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Easy life/easier life. What's the difference?

Postby Katya O. » 2018-02-22, 17:22

Hello, I'm Katya.
1)I can't find an explanation for the use of comparative and positive degree of comparison of adjectives. I can't understand why the author doesn't use "easy". Why he writes "easier"? Here is a sentence:

"Every parent wishes an EASIER life for their children."

I meet an "extra" (it seems to me that it's extra) comparative degree of the adjective often. Could you give me the rule of use comparative and positive degree of comparison of adjectives. I don't need simple rule like "good-better-the best" :D

2)Why the aythor uses "their" if there is a singular "parent"?

P.S. How's the weather in your country?
P.P.S. I'm happy to chat with you :D Let's make friends.[/size]

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linguoboy
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Re: Easy life/easier life. What's the difference?

Postby linguoboy » 2018-02-22, 18:12

Katya O. wrote:1)I can't find an explanation for the use of the comparative and positive degree of comparison of adjectives. I can't understand why the author doesn't use "easy". Why does he[*] writes"easier"?

[*] "He" is not considered a neutral pronoun in contemporary English. You wouldn't normally use it unless you were sure of the gender of the author. I just Googled the sentence and found no indication that the author in question is male.

Katya O. wrote:Here is athe sentence:

"Every parent wishes an EASIER life for their children."

I meetsee an "extra" (it seems to me that it's extra) comparative degree of the adjective often. Could you give me the rule of usage for the comparative and positive degree of comparison of adjectives. I don't need simple rule like "good-better-the best"

The rule is that you use the comparative degree when you're making a comparison. Sometimes the comparison is only implied. Here the implication is "an easier life than they (the parent) had".

Katya O. wrote:2)Why does the author uses "their" if there is a singular "parent"?

Because this is the prevailing contemporary usage when the gender of the person is not known. The common name for this is "singular they".

Katya O. wrote:P.S. How's the weather in your country?

Varied. (I live in a big country.)
"Richmond is a real scholar; Owen just learns languages because he can't bear not to know what other people are saying."--Margaret Lattimore on her two sons

Katya O.
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Re: Easy life/easier life. What's the difference?

Postby Katya O. » 2018-02-25, 19:20

[*] "He" is not considered a neutral pronoun in contemporary English. You wouldn't normally use it unless you were sure of the gender of the author. I just Googled the sentence and found no indication that the author in question is male.

Agree. Is it better to write "he/she" if the gender of an author is unknown?

Katya O.
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Re: Easy life/easier life. What's the difference?

Postby Katya O. » 2018-02-25, 19:24

linguoboy, thank you very much for your answers :)

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Re: Easy life/easier life. What's the difference?

Postby linguoboy » 2018-02-25, 20:44

Katya O. wrote:Agree. Is it better to write "he/she" if the gender of an author is unknown?

"He/she" is rare outside of very formal registers and becoming rarer. Singular they is the most common choice in these situations, which is why I linked to an article on it.

Katya O. wrote:linguoboy, thank you very much for your answers :)

Gotta do something to earn my keep here!
"Richmond is a real scholar; Owen just learns languages because he can't bear not to know what other people are saying."--Margaret Lattimore on her two sons

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Re: Easy life/easier life. What's the difference?

Postby vijayjohn » 2019-09-08, 5:54

I think I'd say "wishes for an easier life for their children."


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